Layers of the Skin: Three Perspectives on Tactile Sensation in Autism

<p>Following increased attention to bodily and perceptual differences in autism, researchers have recently become intrigued by the idea that altered tactile processing could underlie autistic development. The literature is, however, divided between contrasting and mutually antagonistic paradigms operating with radically different conceptualizations of the skin and its sensations. This article gathers the diverse field of tactile sensation in autism, focusing on its elaboration in the somatosensory, psychoanalytic, and autobiographical literature. By disentangling conflicting understandings of the role of touch for human development, the article cultivates a conceptual space for critical analyses of neurobiological, psychological, and experiential “layers” of the skin. The article argues that a core feature permeating these philosophically disparate accounts is the intimate relationship between touch and self-other differentiation. Here, autistic narratives may serve as an important constraint for interdisciplinary exchange by elaborating the subjective and contextual complexity of touch as it is experienced by autistic persons. </p>